Faith Family Friends

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Monday, 24 November 2014

Time for Tea and Preparing for the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It's the most wonderful time of the year.With the kids jingle belling,and everyone telling you,"Be of good cheer,"It's the most wonderful time of the year. ~ Eddie Pola, George Wyle, 1963

Welcome friends to Tea Timeand Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends this week!When we forget the obvious, the little joys, the meals together, the birthday celebrations, the weeping together in time of pain, the wonder of the sunset or the daffodil peeping through the snow, we become less human.~ Madeleine L’Engle

Do you like my posies? The bouquet of roses was a good deal at the grocery. Two yellow, two white, three pink, and three red roses makes for a colourful arrangement for my tea table today.

A month from today is Christmas Eve. Are you getting ready? This time of year always brings a bit of nostalgia as I unpack the treasured ornaments from over the years.... The special little rocking horse my second son gave me when he was ten years old.The drummer mouse my youngest son gifted me with for my birthday one year. He had played the snare drum in The Little Drummer Boy in the school band.

For Christmas is tradition time - Traditions that recall The precious memories down the years,The sameness of them all. ~Helen Lowrie MarshallThese two boys get a little sentimental around this time of year. For one, it's the music which brings back fond memories of his mom in the kitchen baking holiday treats and trimming the tree while the music played. For the other, it's the music, the food, the decorations and everything else the holiday inspires. He is truly a kid at heart at Christmastime. He takes after his mom and grandfather who always loved the holidays.

Both of these boys live far away, one in Vancouver, BC and the other in Illinois, and I will not see them during the holidays so it's an extra sentimental time for this mom. I am so very thankful for Skype however, and very thankful that my oldest son and his family live just five minutes away!

As you all know, I am a bird watcher and I enjoy our little feathered friends. I love the cardinals but I have never seen one as we don't have them here. My son who lives here on the Island gifted me with three red cardinal ornaments one year because he knows I love them.

I have used this one in a wreath which hangs in the dining room. I have the best kids!

You should always be the best decoration in your own house.~ Phoebe Howard For our tea, I have set out some of my Johnson Bros. Friendly Village.

It's perfect for this time of year with each scene of yesteryear transferred on to each piece!

Tea is quiet and our thirst for tea is never far from our craving for beauty. ~ James Norwood Pratt

All of my Friendly Village;dinner plates, salad plates, bread & butter plates, bowls, teacups and saucers, is vintage except for the teapot and the creamer.I have made a short cut version of a Victorian Sponge cake for our tea. The cake is layered and filled with strawberry jam and fresh whipped cream; yum! Hubby isn't a big cake lover but he sure enjoys this one.

I liked Karen's sentiment from her last week's post. She said blog land is like a Friendly Village and I agree with her. It's a lovely place where we can stay in touch and share one another's interests, especially pretty china and tea. We are inspired by each other and care deeply when one of our friends is going through a difficult time. Blog land is a wonderful community of bloggers and I am so happy to be a part of it.

Next week is the first of December and I will begin sharing some Christmas inspired teas with you. I also have a special Christmas Tea planned for you on December 15th. I will tell you more about it next week.

I am delighted you have visited today and I am always happy when you join me for tea and conversation. If you have something related to tea time or coffee break, please link up with me and I will be happy to visit you. All teacups/coffee cups, teapots/coffee pots, chocolate pots, tablescapes, tea time recipes, and visits to a Tea Shop are welcome.Have a wonderful day, dear friends, and I wish all of you in the US, a bountiful and beautiful Thanksgiving Day!I am linking to these lovely parties as well this week~

34 comments
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Yes, I love that sentiment Karen expressed about being a "friendly village." Thank you for creating that for us here at your weekly tea times.I see cardinals daily here; they're so bright and beautiful. But there's other lovelies I never see. All depends on where we live I guess.Special ornaments saved through the years always bring back wonderful memories.Your sponge cake looks delicious! Have a good week Sandi.

I have Friendly Village as well, and use it a lot during the fall and winter months, except for Christmas time when I use my Christmas dishes. I always loving visiting your beautiful home and tea parties. The cake looks delightful! I am anxious to begin decorating for Christmas but we always wait until after Thanksgiving. Be blessed, my friend! Hugs, Beth

Hi Sandi . A lovely post. I just love Freindle Village...so perfect for the season. Sorry your link dropped out...it was there when I posted last night...don't know what happened to it! Ah well...Blogger strikes again! Have a wonderful week. Thanks again for hosting and linking to Tuesday Cuppa Tea!Ruth

What lovely gifts from your three sons that you've shared today, Sandi! I so enjoy the Friendly Village pattern and used it myself today, too. Your cake looks so scrumptious and I would love to share a slice with you. The first quote that you shared is oh, so true! Thank you for hosting your delightful tea party.

You always manage to find some pretty flowers at the grocer and they sure add to a tea table. The transferware is versatile at this time of year and right now as I'm sipping some darjeeling tea, I'm wishing I had a piece of your strawberry cake. I'm lucky too to have cardinals in the back yard all the time, although I'm still waiting to capture that perfect photo of the male on snowy pine branches. Thanks for hosting Sandi.

Hi Sandi!I just LOVE your Friendly Village tableware (so perfect for the holidays) and also the analogy of your reader. is so true. I love, too, sponge cake and can't remember the last time I was so lucky as to have enjoyed some. My taste buds are craving it now! HahaLinda at Beautiful Ideas

Hi Sandi,We can always count on you to bring us lots of loveliness. I have the Friendly Village dishes and use them for our Thanksgiving dinner. I too love the sentiment of blogging being a "friendly village."

We have cardinals that dine at our backyard feeder everyday. The female isn't as pretty as the male...go figure!I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving too.

Christmas is such a special time of the year isn't it. Friendly Village china is a favourite of mine to see as I don't own any pieces, but enjoy seeing other bloggers share it. It's difficult to have family living away isn't it? Your bouquet of roses is beautiful! There are a lot of cardinals in NB now, but I've never seen one yet! I'm looking forward to the Christmas tea posts. Blessings. Pam

Hi Sandi,Oh my! I am so very honoured that you mentioned me today! I am beaming! Thank you so much! I do love your Friendly Village too! Yours are sparkling! I adore posies as well! Only a month till Christmas? Yikes! I must get busy! Your cake looks delish! Thank you for hosting today! Blessings! Karen

Hello sandiI'm seeing the Friendly Village cups on quite a few blogs - they are lovely.I agree with you and your sentiments about our grown children's memories of Christmas and holidays.Sorry I couldn't join you this week but I've posted a giveaway this week, I would love you to come over and join in too!HugsShane

What a lovely tea table you laid Sandi! I am loving your dishes, have never seen them before! Your posies are so pretty too. Your christmas decorating is so pretty too. We will do our tree on Friday. Have a fabulous week!

Dear Sandi,I so understand your feelings about your sons who live far away. Skype is really a good possibility to keep in touch. Your ornaments with all those memories are real treasures. So cute of your sons. I also love Karen's idea of a Friendly Blog Village. Such a charming idea. Thank you for this wonderful tea time and for hosting this sweet event. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.Best greetings, Johanna

You've reminded me I need to take out my Friendly Village dishes to use, Sandi. I have found a few pieces here and there at antique malls so I only have a few dishes and teacups/saucers. Love the teapot.

Blessings, Sandi! So delightful to drop by and catch up with you! I do miss my dear tea ladies and linking up each week. Unfortunately, since returning from the writer's conference this summer, my life has taken a dramatic change--for the better--and things have been happening so fast! My first book will be out the beginning of January with lots of book events in March and April in time for Easter. I'm currently on deadline to wrap it up and get it to the printer by next week - gah!

Taking a moment to drink in your Friendly Village--and that cake!!--is pure heaven. I've had precious little time for my own teatimes. Haley and I want to do a Christmas tea in December. She is doing the original soundtrack music for the book's audio CD with her Irish fiddle and continues to blog her budding career. We HOPE to join you all at least once this season!!

Hope you are cozy and warm in the north on PEI! Blessings of the season!Joy!Kathy

This story only talks about NY and the UK. I was wondering if you heard anything on PEI? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2855046/Could-loud-boom-heard-upstate-New-York-related-rumbling-noise-reported-UK-exactly-time.html

Sandi, the beautiful roses are such a delight this time of year! We all need flowers to brighten our day every now and then. All 5 of my children live close. I can imagine that it is difficult to have them so far away. My boys have a tender heart and love the holidays as much as my girls do. They're just big kids at heart! Thanks for sharing with SYC.hugs,Jann

Ahhhhhh the Johnson Bros pattern Friendly Village? I have one two pieces...a cup & saucer and a demitasse c/s...chose them as a reminder of a dear friend during our Texas years- seeing your settings is inspiring me..perhaps I should think of a few place settings? Inspiring? No- temptation!

I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY! ~ Sandi

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Welcome to Rose Chintz Cottage

Hello! My name is Sandi and I am delighted you have stopped by. I hope you will find friendship here as I share about my faith, my family, and romantic cottage decorating, as well as my collection of tea things. My yellow door is always open and I would love for you to leave a comment so I'll know you were here. I enjoy making friends so please hang around for a while and let's get to know one another. God bless you!

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I live a happy life in Green Gables country with my sweet hubby who is a retired pastor. We have three wonderful sons and five darling grandchildren. I love being a home maker and I thrive on bringing beauty and comfort into my home for my family and friends to enjoy. Life is made even richer by my faith in God who has taught me, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." I am so happy you have stopped by and I welcome you through my yellow door.

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